Llamas
(Lama glama), along with Alpacas, are domesticated descendants
of Guanacos (Lama guanicoe). Llamas have long shaggy
coats that vary in color from white all over through spotted
or speckled, to brown, black, or red all over. Their head and
body length ranges from 1,200-2,500 mm, height at the shoulder
from 900-1,300 mm, and they may weigh from 130-155 kg.

Llamas
move gracefully; they are capable of carrying a load of 96 kg.
Llamas are grazers as well as browsers, eating on grasses and
forbs. The social structure is such that llamas tend to live
in small groups of 7-16 individuals with a dominant male having
a harem of females. Included in the groups are young that are
no older than 13 months. Though some females and their young
form their own sub-groups in the winter, the male defends all
the whole territory from other males as well as predators. Breeding
occurs in the spring. Females give birth to a single young after
a 10-month gestation period. Male and female young are forced
to go out on their own by the dominant male when they are 13-15
months old. The males spend 3-4 years in bachelor groups where
they compete for dominance by fighting by ramming their necks
and chests against one another.

Llamas
are located from southern Peru to northwestern Argentina. They
inhabit mountains and upland plateaus at altitudes of more than
10,000 feet.